Colleagues at a memorial service in Pretoria for the late Mthokozisi Ntumba have remembered him as an upright professional with integrity at all times. Ntumba was fatally shot last week after being caught during a stand-off between police and protesting Wits students at Braamfontein in Johannesburg.
Ntumba was leaving a clinic when he got shot.
The 35-year old father of three was a town planner at the City of Tshwane’s metro municipality.
Mthokozisi Ntumba’s colleagues express sadness:
His colleagues say Ntumba had a way with the communities he worked with and that they have lost a key person in the process of formalizing communities.
Friend and colleague, Matlala Sesweni says Ntumba was innovative and creative.
“He was very innovative and very much creative. As such, he contributed so much in the Human Settlements Department. He generously gave us his knowledge, expertise and skills. He was very important in the Human Settlements chain. In his career as a planner, he worked with passion, integrity and energy.”
Memorial service for Mthokozisi Ntumba:
Students call for justice
A handful of students gathered outside the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court where four police officers appeared in connection with the fatal shooting of Ntumba.
Four police officers accused of killing Mthokozisi Ntumba appear in court:
Wits university SRC member, Scelo Kubheka called on the court to deny the officers’ bail.
“We must be here to make sure that this police get punished and not only them, even their commanders because this police were given commandments by someone in the high rank; the top structures of the police. It’s either [Police Minister] Bheki Cele or [National Police Commissioner ] General Sithole. Even then they must come to court. They must appear because this police don’t give themselves a mandate. They are given a mandate by someone.”
Wits SRC outside the court where police officers accused of Mthokozisi Ntumba’s murder appeared:
Meanwhile, the police officers will remain in custody until their next court appearance later in March. The officers, Tshepiso Kekana, Motseothata Boitumelo, Madimeja Lekgodi and Victor Nkosinathi Mohammed have all appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
The case was postponed to 24 March for a formal bail application.
– Additional reporting by Ditaba Tsotetsi.
